Only Human
by jkminimoon
Summary: Manga-verse. She had always said that love never asked for anything in return, but in the end, she was only human. AyuHiyo. Post-manga.


**Only Human**

**This story is heavily manga-verse and takes place almost immediately after the manga ends**. **It is recommended that you read the manga before this story. Otherwise, I recommend you read the wikipedia article on Spiral.  
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**Disclaimer: I do not own Spiral.**

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Chapter One: Greed**

Yuizaki Hiyono let out a heavy sigh as she stared out the taxi window, propping her chin on the ridge of her knuckles. She felt another cool drop of sweat run down the side of her face. The drop tingled against her burning cheeks. Her back and legs were already uncomfortably sticky with sweat, especially against the leather seats. With a glance, she surmised that they probably moved a foot in the last five minutes. In the next lane, the children in the family van were making faces at her. She watched with a bored expression as a little boy, maybe nine years old, pressed his nose against the glass, giving her a good show of his nostrils.

Hiyono let out a half-amused half-annoyed snort and turned her attention to the front. The sound caught the driver's attention, and he glared at her with heavy-lidded eyes through the rear-view mirror. She gave him a strained nervous smile and an awkward chuckle before simply staring at her hands. That seemed to be the best way to avoid trouble.

It was a hot day in Japan, and she was lucky enough to catch the one taxi that didn't have air conditioning. Even with the windows open, the heat was overwhelming. It seemed the sun was intent on roasting her alive. Outside, the combination of heat and exhaust fumes made the air shimmer like light on water. Hiyono reached for her water bottle and took a sip, only to find it disgustingly warm. She grimaced and capped it. The driver watched her enviously through the rear-view mirror and wiped the sweat off his double chin with his damp handkerchief.

The car moved another inch.

Stuck in heavy Tokyo traffic in the dead heat with a plane to Germany to catch in – she checked her watch – 46 minutes. She let out another sigh, swiping at her sweaty bangs. A part of her told her she was too calm, too quiet. She was supposed to be irritated, angry, cursing at traffic, cursing at the heat. Her mind should have been whirling with a flurry of thoughts, worrying if she would make her plane, making contingency plans in case she didn't.

But she couldn't muster the strength to do all that. She was drained, listless. One thing was for certain. Her mind wasn't with her. It was still in that hospital room, still with that boy playing his piano.

Her copper eyes glanced out the window to see the little boy lick his window.

No. She supposed that boy had become a man. Though hardly, she giggled to herself, as Narumi Ayumu was only eighteen years old. Still he had grown while she had been gone. The possessive part of her grew slightly bitter at the thought.

Ayumu had grown in the last two years… but without her.

Though that was the point, wasn't it? That was his answer to the Blade Children, to Kiyotaka, to the world. To grow and live, even in the face of hopeless despair. He had to smile even as Death mockingly flaunted the sparse amount of sand left in his hour glass. Her eyes darkened with her thoughts.

And he had to do it alone. It didn't mean anything if he had someone to lean on, someone to put him back together when he fell apart. Who would believe him when he said that it was possible to stand in the darkness when he had his own ray of light? He himself had said that such a person would be mistaken for his happiness, that _she _would be mistaken for his happiness. She smiled fondly at the memory. It was probably the closest thing to a confession she ever got from him. Too bad it came when they decided it would be better if they weren't together.

_It could have worked. You could have been together. You loved him, but you didn't try. _

Hiyono paused, rolling her eyes at her own thoughts. They were old selfish thoughts, something she always tried to bury. She scoffed. She sounded like a lovesick thirteen year old. It _was _better that they weren't together. The woman bit the inside of her cheek. For the sake of his answer, she reminded herself. It was the only way to show everyone that it wasn't necessary to give up hope just because the world was shrouded in darkness.

Hiyono gripped her purse tightly, her knuckles turning white, as her thoughts began to revolve around a question she always hated. Was such a thing possible? Loneliness. Terror. Suffering. The feeling of your life slipping through your fingers. Could one person really endure all of that alone?

Perhaps Kanone had been right when he said that she would never know the feeling of death and despair closing in on her. Back then, she had smiled, cut her wrist, and shown how she could laugh in the face of death. Yet, that had been with the confidence that Ayumu would not fail her.

He had been her safety net, but she couldn't be his.

No, she decided, a mere person couldn't take that kind of pain. Perhaps with friends and loved ones as there was always strength in numbers. But alone? It took a higher being, a god.

She laughed softly at the thought. Perhaps Ayumu was a sort of god with the way everyone was so reliant on him. A little bud of affectionate pride bloomed as she thought of how Ayumu had talked to her as if nothing had changed. Somehow, he had found that god-like strength. Yet, the flower wilted a little as she remembered how he had found that strength without her. She let out a derisive chuckle.

She was so damn selfish.

Hiyono glanced out of the window, surprised to see the road flash past her in a whirl. It seemed as though they got out of traffic a few moments ago. The wind forced its way in through the open windows and rebelliously beat her honey-brown hair into her face. She spluttered frantically, trying to get the hair out of her mouth and wrest back control of the wild strands. The driver paid her no mind.

The car slowed to a stop in the departure lane of the airport. Hiyono slung her purse over her shoulder and stepped out, a little worse for wear. The driver stumbled out of his seat and clumsily dragged her carrier out of the trunk. It landed with a heavy clunk onto the sidewalk. People bustled about, jostling each other to reach a flight or loved one. Hiyono grimaced as she thought about joining the crowd soon. The driver stood impatiently as she counted the money to give him. He fanned himself with his large pudgy fingers.

"Danke," she automatically said as she handed him the bills. For a split second, he raised an eyebrow in confusion but quickly fixed his face for a neutral expression. He bowed out of courtesy, and she returned the favor while silently cursing herself for her slip of tongue. He sped off, probably thankful to be rid of the strange foreigner. She stuck her tongue out after him.

Hiyono reached for the handle of her luggage to extend it as she glanced at her watch.

"Shit," she muttered as she saw the hand reach 4:25. Her flight left in fifteen minutes. She hurriedly grabbed her things and joined the huge crowd heading inside the airport. A wave of cold air hit her as she briskly walked in, ignoring the goose bumps raised on her arms. Looking up at the airport signs, she cursed the driver for letting her off on the wrong end of the airport.

Sandals slapping the back of her feet, she swiftly walked past the groups of travelers and tourists, who were quickly becoming a blur. Her eyes glanced from sign to sign looking for All Nippon Airways. She muttered a quick "sorry" and "excuse me" as she bumped into an old man, a victim of her mad dash. She didn't even bother to see if he noticed.

Twelve minutes left. She had only a carry-on and was already checked in – thank god for the internet – so she only had to go through security. The young woman let out a little huff. Easier said than done. Tokyo International Airport was famous for its lines. Not to mention that it was also Golden Week, so everyone was traveling. Maybe if she was lucky, the plane would be delayed. Ugh, she scoffed. Knowing her luck, the flight would probably be cancelled or –

Hiyono grunted as she barreled right into a man, falling backwards and landing _gracefully_ on her rump. She winced, trying to ignore the pain that shot up her spine and the slight pressure of having the air knocked out of her lungs. She wheezed a little as she forced the air back into her lungs. The man kneeled beside her, apologizing profusely in what she guessed was Korean. She ignored him and looked around to see that all the things in her purse had been scattered across the floor.

Damn her luck!

She hastily scrambled around, stuffing her things back into her purse and trying to ignore the building headache as the man continued to apologize. With a strained smile, she waved off his worries as he handed her a compact mirror. She had no clue what he was saying, but it seemed he was offering something in apology, coffee or whatever. She didn't have time for this nonsense. With a hurried wave and a quick bow, she broke out into a run, ignoring how clumsy she looked. Her things jostled about at her side as she made the last lap to security.

Seven minutes left. She almost cried in relief when she saw the line to security was almost nonexistent. Maybe her luck was turning! As she made her way to the security officer, her hand dug around her purse for her I.D. and wallet. She paused after a moment, the woman behind her grumbling in complaint and pushing past her. Hiyono furrowed her brow as her hand grappled with the things in her purse, fingers dancing around trying to find the elusive wallet. Oh shit oh shit oh shit! Her compact. Lip gloss. Wait. She brought the purse to her face, eyes scanning the dark contents.

Wallet. Gone. So was her passport.

She patted down her pockets in a desperate attempt to find it. Nothing. She bit back a curse and ran a frustrated hand through her hair. Had she left them at the hospital? The taxi? No. She definitely had it then. Her mind anxiously shifted through her memory, frantic to figure out when she had last seen them. When she fell?

Hiyono got out of line and backtracked to the spot she ran into the man, the slightest sliver of hope making her bite her lip with worry. Her wide brown eyes scanned the floor as she reached the area.

Nothing.

Her mind was going a mile a minute. There was still the lost and found. Maybe the Korean man had dropped it off at the nearest help desk. She sprinted to the desk, passing the line much to the chagrin of many people. Disregarding the chorus of complaints, she caught the attention of the woman at the computer.

"Excuse me. I-"

"Ma'am. You have to wait at the back of the line."

"I'm sorry. I'm in a huge rush, and this will be quick," Hiyono explained hastily, "Has anyone brought in a lost wallet and passport in the last five minutes?"

The older woman pursed her lips and glanced at her partner behind the desk, asking him if he had seen anything like that. The man with his graying hair scratched his chin and slowly shook his head.

"Not in the last couple of minutes. Something came in a few hours ago. Want to check?" He asked, a helpful smile on his face.

Hiyono tried to return the smile, though it came out more like a grimace. "No thank you. Thanks for your time."

With that, she walked off with her things in tow. "Damn it," she cursed as all hope shot down the drain. A few people gave her reproachful looks, but she ignored them and slumped down on a nearby bench. This certainly put a kink in her plans. Her thoughts slowed down, shifting through the muddle of what had happened in the last couple of minutes. The man probably hustled her, she realized with bitter hindsight.

She groaned, gripping her head, as she thought of all the trouble this would bring. Not only would she miss her flight, but she had no I.D. , no money, no credit cards. She would have to get a new passport as well.

Suddenly the thought that the man might have stolen some other things occurred to her. She rummaged through her purse again. As her fingers brushed against cloth, she tugged out her handkerchief to see Ayumu's earring was still safely snug between the folds. She let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding, and her tense shoulders relaxed. Money. Passport. Those were all replaceable, but she wasn't sure what she would do if she lost his earring. She had to think of a better place to put it.

With care, she delicately re-folded her handkerchief and placed it in a smaller compartment of her purse. She let out a heavy sigh, exhaustion catching up to her. First things first. She needed a ride and a place to stay.

The young woman rolled her eyes and grumbled in vexation. Swallowing the bitter pill of her pride, she reached into her jacket pocket and flipped out her phone. Speed Dial 9. She vaguely wondered why she hadn't removed it yet. As the phone rang, she tapped her foot impatiently.

Click.

"Hello?"

"Kiyotaka-san? I need your help."

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**A/N: End of Chapter 1. Hope you enjoyed. I personally like the idea of this story, and it's been plaguing my mind for the past year.**

**I am a huge fan of Spiral, but it's been a while since I've read the manga so my memory is a bit fuzzy. Hopefully, it's not that bad.**

**I believe this story will be approximately 10 chapters. I post update dates on my profile, so if you would like to know when the next chapter is planned to come out, check out my profile.**

**I would appreciate any feedback. Don't be a shy! Just one word would make my day. Please review! Today is actually my birthday, and a review would be a great birthday present!  
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